New Jersey Difficulties Not Indictment of Online Voting, Say Advocates

Below:

Next story in Tech and gadgets

Hurricane Sandy was the diabolical definition of a perfect storm
not only in how it hit the tri-state area with maximum punch but
in its timing before a critical national election. With regular
polling places closed down and many potential voters displaced
from home and short on gasoline, the Garden State took the
extraordinary step of allowing residents to vote by email ― or so
it seemed. The details were more complicated, and poorly
explained, say critics.

While many New Jerseyans can now receive an application and send
in a ballot by email (or fax), they still have to send a paper
ballot by traditional mail. This two-step process has been one
source of confusion. The directive from
the state went into great detail about the online procedure but
mentioned the part about mailed-in ballots in a separate section.

That problem was dwarfed, however, by the inability of state
election officials to keep up with the
onslaught of emails today (Nov. 6).The volume prompted Lt.
Gov. Kim Guadagno to extend the deadline for email voting beyond
Election Day to Friday.

These glitches are not, in themselves, an indictment of online
voting, said Nick Judd, managing editor of the website for
Personal Technology Media, a technology-and-politics advocacy
organization. “I don't think what happened in New Jersey really
offers a teachable moment,” Judd told TechNewsDaily via email.
“For example, if the order the lieutenant governor released had
just been more clearly worded, I doubt this kerfuffle would have
blown up as large as it has."

Still, email voting is just an interim step to deal with a
disaster (it’s normally used for citizens who are out of the
country). Andrew Rasiej, the founder of Personal Democracy Media,
sees a bright side. “Hopefully this disaster will catalyze a
renewed conversation about how to expand voting in the digital
age,” he told TechNewsDaily.